We check in with people at each stage of the cash transfer process to see how things are going. Take a look at some of their stories as they appear here in real-time.
Learn more about how recipients opt in to share their stories.
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($518 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
check
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
The biggest difference in my life ever since GiveDirectly came into my life is that I was able to improve my home. I tiled the floor which makes it appealing and easy to clean and maintain. It has also saved me from doing regular maintenance. I will no longer have to endure the task of smearing the walls and floor after every rainy season.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly did well by enrolling residents of all the villages they went to. This ensured fairness and also got rid of conflicts. This encouraged us to be honest in every way. I remember helping them weed out imposters who pretended to be living in this village. We had to be vigilant so that the desires of our donors of meeting the needs of the poorest are addressed.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I spent part of my second transfer on plastering the floor of my house. I bought cement and tiles. This kind of floor is usually easier to maintain compared to the one that is not plastered that I had previously. I then paid school fees for my child who is in secondary school. I don't think I could have achieved all these at ago without their help. I would have taken more time considering I am a casual laborer who earns very little per day.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($541 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
attach_money
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
The biggest difference in my life is the fact that I have been able to improve my house from that of a mud floor to a cemented one. I had always desired to do this but until I received the transfers, I had found it difficult to accomplish. I now feel proud that I have been able to accomplish this and feel so indebted to GiveDirectly.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I felt so happy the moment I received my transfer. I heard my phone ring at exactly 5:30 am in the morning. We were expecting to receive the money but the reality of receiving it at that time of the night and what it meant to me made me so excited. I went back to sleep as I pondered on my next move and how I would spend my money.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I used all of my recent transfer to cement the floor of my house. For a long time, I had the desire of cementing the floor of my house in a bid to reduce the amount of dust in the room and make it easier to maintain. When I received GiveDirectly transfers, I saw it as an opportunity to actualize my dream of improving my house. I have since been able to accomplish this and I am so proud of my achievements courtesy of GiveDirectly.
Enrolled
access_time 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
In the recent past,dairy farming has proved to be better than crop farming in this region.Therefore I have been yearning to expand my dairy farm more.I have two dairy cows and my plan is adding two more when I receive the money from Give Directly.Each cow will cost me approximately Ksh 25,000(250 USD).With the sale of milk I will get money to satisfy the family's needs.This includes paying school fees for my children which has been a challenge to me.I also have a plan of cementing my two rooms;The living room and the bedroom.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I spend the early morning hours doing the house chores before I embark on feeding the cows.I enjoy these morning hours because I am usually strong enough to do a lot of work unlike in the afternoon when my out put is low.I graze the cattle in the afternoon before I relax until dusk.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Raising up my 4 children has been a challenge given the tough economic times.I am a farmer and what I get is not enough to cater for all their needs.Paying school fees has been the main challenge.My daughter joined a secondary boarding school this year and raising her school fees was a big problem.I was forced to sell 0.2 acres of my 2 acres of land to pay her fees.This is the very land that I depend on as a farmer and I had to sacrifice part of it to pay school fees.However I am glad that she joined school and I know that the boost that I have gotten from Give Directly will help my daughter complete his secondary school studies.
